Desiccant Shoe

ABSTRACT

A disclosed shoe may include a non-weight bearing portion of the shoe. The shoe may also include a packet which may include particles of microporous desiccant material enclosed in the non-weight bearing portion of the shoe. The microporous desiccant material may absorb moisture, water, and odor within the shoe.

BACKGROUND Field of the Disclosure

This disclosure relates generally to athletic shoes and, more particularly, to a desiccant shoe.

Description of the Related Art

Shoes, and in particular, athletic shoes may retain moisture and odor during and after use. Shoe inserts or insoles have been developed to insert into an Athletic shoe to help reduce moisture and odor. The shoe inserts may include baking soda and activated charcoal to neutralize odor. However, these shoe inserts add weight to the athletic shoe and their ability to neutralize odor may diminish over time.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a disclosed shoe may include a non-weight bearing portion of the shoe. The shoe may also include a packet which may include particles of microporous desiccant material enclosed in the non-weight bearing portion of the shoe. The microporous desiccant material may absorb moisture, water, and odor within the shoe.

In a number of the disclosed embodiments of the shoe, the microporous desiccant material may include at least one of a naturally occurring Zeolite, an industrially produced Zeolite, silica, an activated charcoal, a calcium sulfate, and a calcium chloride.

In a number of the disclosed embodiments of the shoe, the microporous desiccant material may expel the moisture and water and dissipate the odor when air circulates within the shoe.

In a number of the disclosed embodiments of the shoe, the packet may also include an odor reduction material that may reduce a smell of the odor within the shoe.

In a number of the disclosed embodiments of the shoe, a particle size of the particles of the microporous desiccant material may allow the particles to maintain porosity.

In a number of the disclosed embodiments of the shoe, the packet may be inserted in an opening in a pocket of the non-weight bearing portion of the shoe and the opening may be closed using one of a Velcro fastener, a button fastener, a zipper, an adhesive, and sewing thread.

In a number of the disclosed embodiments of the shoe, the packet may further include a packet material including one or more of cotton, silk, and a hybrid paper that may allow water and moisture vapor to be transmitted through the packet material.

In a number of the disclosed embodiments of the shoe, a shape, dimensions, and a size of the packet may conform to a shape, dimensions, and a size of a pocket of the non-weight bearing portion of the shoe.

In a number of the disclosed embodiments of the shoe, the non-weight bearing portion of the shoe may include a tongue portion of the shoe, a toe portion of the shoe, a sidewall portion of the shoe, a heel portion of the shoe, and an ankle portion of the shoe.

In a number of the disclosed embodiments of the shoe, the shoe may further include padding between the packet and a foot of a wearer of the shoe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of selected elements of an embodiment of a shoe including a packet of desiccant material;

FIG. 2A is a partial front view of a tongue of a shoe including a packet of desiccant material;

FIG. 2B is a top view of a tongue of a shoe including a packet of desiccant material;

FIG. 3A is a top view of a packet of desiccant material;

FIG. 3B is a top cut-away view of a packet of desiccant material; and

FIG. 3C is a side cut-away view of a packet of desiccant material.

DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENT(S)

In the following description, details are set forth by way of example to facilitate discussion of the disclosed subject matter. It should be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the field, however, that the disclosed embodiments and all the details and descriptions associated therewith are exemplary and not exhaustive of all possible embodiments and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention which scope is solely defined by the appended claims.

As used herein, a hyphenated form of a reference numeral refers to a specific instance of an element and the un-hyphenated form of the reference numeral refers to the collective or generic element. Thus, for example, widget “72-1” refers to an instance of a widget class, which may be referred to collectively as widgets “72” and any one of which may be referred to generically as a widget “72”.

Particular embodiments are best understood by reference to FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, and 3C wherein like numbers are used to indicate like and corresponding parts.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram depicting selected elements of an embodiment of a shoe 100 including a packet 114, which may be enclosed within a pocket of shoe 100. In FIG. 1, shoe 100 may be an athletic shoe including a running shoe, a jogging shoe, a walking shoe, a tennis shoe, a hiking shoe, a cleated shoe, a bicycle shoe, or another type of athletic shoe. Shoe 100 may also be another type of shoe. Shoe 100 may include a non-weight bearing portion including a tongue portion 122 of a tongue 112 of shoe 100, a toe portion 124 of shoe 100, a sidewall portion 126 of shoe 100, a heel portion 128 of shoe 100, an ankle portion 130 of shoe 100, or another non-weight bearing portion of shoe 100.

Packet 114 may include a packet material including one or more of cotton, silk, polyester, a hybrid paper, or another type of packet material. The packet material may allow water, moisture vapor, and odor to be transmitted through the packet material of packet 114. Packet 114 may also include particles of microporous desiccant material. The particles of microporous desiccant material may include one or more of a naturally occurring Zeolite, an industrially produced Zeolite, silica, an activated charcoal, a calcium sulfate, a calcium chloride, or another type of desiccant material. Particles of microporous desiccant material are porous and may have multiple pores within the particles. The pores within the particles may absorb water, moisture, and odor exposed to the particles. The particles may also expel water, moisture, and odor from the pores or let the water and moisture in the pores dry when the particles are exposed to air circulation. The particles may also absorb and expel ammonia nitrogen from the human body. This cycle of absorption and expulsion of water, moisture, and odor may be repeated again and again, and may allow packet 114 to outlast the useful life of shoe 100. Packet 114 may further include an odor reduction material including a deodorizer, an odor neutralizer, a perfume, a fragrance oil, aroma chemicals, aromatic resins, another type of odor reduction material, or combination thereof. The odor reduction material may have a pleasant aroma and may reduce odor within shoe 100. When packet 114 is enclosed within shoe 100, the particles of microporous desiccant material may absorb moisture, water, and odor when a foot of a wearer is within shoe 100. The particles of microporous desiccant material included in packet 114 may also expel moisture and water and dissipate odor when air circulates within shoe 100. The particles of microporous desiccant material may have a particle size, which may allow the particles to maintain their porosity. For example, the particles of microporous desiccant material may be between 3 mm and 5 mm in size.

Packet 114 may be inserted in an opening of a pocket of a non-weight bearing portion of shoe 100. Packet 114 may be enclosed within a pocket of shoe 100 when the opening of the pocket is sealed using a fastener. The fastener may be a Velcro fastener, a button fastener, a zipper, an adhesive, sewing thread, or another type of fastener. For example, packet 114 may be inserted in an opening 116 of a pocket of the tongue portion 122 of shoe 100 and enclosed within shoe 100 by sewing opening 116 of the pocket shut using sewing thread. Sewing thread may be a cotton thread, a silk thread, or another type of thread. In one or more embodiments, packet 114 may be removed and replaced when opening 116 of the pocket uses a reusable fastener, e.g. a Velcro fastener. A shape, dimensions, and size of packet 114 may allow packet 114 to conform to a shape, dimensions, and size of a pocket of shoe 100. Packet 114 including the packet material, the particles of microporous desiccant material, the odor reduction material, and the fastener may be hypoallergenic, biodegradable and environmentally friendly. Packet 114 may also reduce or kill bacteria and inhibit pathogen growth.

The non-weight bearing portion of shoe 100 may include padding. A portion of the padding may be between packet 114 enclosed within the pocket of shoe 100 and a foot of a wearer of the shoe. A portion of the padding may also include packet 114. The thickness of the padding between the foot and packet 114 should be minimized to increase the ability of packet 114 to absorb moisture, water, and odor from the foot while still allowing the shoe to be comfortable. The padding may also have a space or a slot within it that may allow packet 114 to be enclosed within a pocket of shoe 100 without increasing the overall thickness of the padding. Enclosing packet 114 within a pocket of a non-weight bearing portion of shoe 100 may reduce or eliminate discomfort of a wearer of shoe 100 that might otherwise occur if packet 114 were enclosed in a weight bearing portion of shoe 100, e.g. the sole of shoe 100. Enclosing packet 114 within a pocket of a non-weight bearing portion of shoe 100 may also prevent damage to the particles of microporous desiccant material included in packet 114 due to impact of a foot on a weight bearing portion of shoe 100 while a wearer of shoe 100 is running, walking, or performing another type of activity.

In one or more embodiments, multiple packets 114 may be enclosed within multiple pockets of non-weight bearing portions of shoe 100 that may increase the amount of moisture and water, and odor that may be absorbed and subsequently expelled from shoe 100, and increase the amount of odor dissipated from shoe 100. The multiple packets 114 may also further reduce the odor within shoe 100.

FIG. 2A is a partial front view of tongue 112 of shoe 100 including packet 114. Packet 114 is shown partially inserted in an opening 216 of a pocket 218 of tongue 112. The particles of microporous desiccant material are enclosed within packet 114 with sewing thread 222. Sewing thread 222 may be made of a thread material including one or more of cotton, silk, polyester, or another type of thread material. Packet 114 may have a shape, dimensions, and a size that allows packet 114 to be enclosed within pocket 218. The shape of packet 114 may include a square shape, a rectangle shape, a circular shape, or another type of shape. The dimensions of packet 114 may be 1″×1⅝″×0.125″, which is approximately 3 mm, or other dimensions of packet 114 that fits within pocket 218. Packet 114 may be the size of a postage stamp, a tea bag, or another size that fits within pocket 218. Pocket 218 may have a shape, dimensions, and a size that allows packet 114 to fit within pocket 218. The dimensions and size of packet 114 may allow an effective amount of the particles of microporous desiccant material to be enclosed within packet 114 for moisture, water, and odor absorption. The weight of packet 114 including the particles of microporous desiccant material may be minimal given the size of packet 114. Packet 114 may not add any additional weight or size to shoe 100 based on the minimal size and weight of packet 114.

FIG. 2B is a top view of tongue 112 of shoe 100 including packet 114. Packet 114 is shown inserted in opening 216 of pocket 218 of tongue 112. Particles of microporous desiccant material 224 are shown enclosed within packet 114 between two portions of packet material by sewing thread 222 on either side of packet 114.

FIG. 3A is a top view of packet 114. The top view of packet 114 shows a top portion of packet material of packet 114 and sewing thread 222 attaching the top portion to a bottom portion of packet material (not shown). Particles of microporous desiccant material 224 enclosed within packet 114 are shown beneath the top portion of packet material indicated by dotted lines of the particles.

FIG. 3B is a top cut-away view of packet 114. The top view of packet 114 shows a bottom portion of packet material of packet 114 and sewing thread 222. Particles of microporous desiccant material 224 enclosed within packet 114 are shown over the bottom portion of packet material.

FIG. 3C is a top cut-away view of packet 114. Particles of microporous desiccant material 224 are shown enclosed within packet 114 between two portions of packet material by sewing thread 222 on either side of packet 114.

As disclosed herein, a shoe may include a non-weight bearing portion of the shoe. The shoe may also include a packet which may include particles of microporous desiccant material enclosed in the non-weight bearing portion of the shoe. The microporous desiccant material may absorb moisture, water, and odor within the shoe.

The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present disclosure is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A shoe, comprising: a non-weight bearing portion of the shoe; and a packet including particles of microporous desiccant material enclosed in the non-weight bearing portion of the shoe, the microporous desiccant material to absorb moisture, water, and odor within the shoe.
 2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the microporous desiccant material comprises at least one of a naturally occurring Zeolite, an industrially produced Zeolite, a silica, an activated charcoal, an calcium sulfate, and a calcium chloride.
 3. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the microporous desiccant material further to expel the water and dissipate the odor when air circulates within the shoe.
 4. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the packet further including an odor reduction material to reduce a smell of the odor within the shoe.
 5. The shoe of claim 1, wherein a particle size of the particles of the microporous desiccant material allow the particles to maintain porosity.
 6. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the packet is inserted in an opening in a pocket of the non-weight bearing portion of the shoe and the opening is closed using one of a Velcro fastener, a button fastener, a zipper, an adhesive, and sewing thread.
 7. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the packet further comprises a packet material including one or more of cotton, silk, and a hybrid paper to allow water and moisture vapor to be transmitted through the packet material.
 8. The shoe of claim 1, wherein a shape, dimensions, and a size of the packet conforms to a shape, dimensions, and a size of a pocket of the non-weight bearing portion of the shoe.
 9. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the non-weight bearing portion of the shoe includes a tongue portion of the shoe, a toe portion of the shoe, a sidewall portion of the shoe, a heel portion of the shoe, and an ankle portion of the shoe.
 10. The shoe of claim 1, the shoe further comprising padding between the packet and a foot of a wearer of the shoe. 